Which ancient civilization built the city of Machu Picchu in the Andes?

The Inca civilization built Machu Picchu in the Andes.

Machu Picchu is a fifteenth-century stone settlement in southern Peru, high above the Urubamba Valley. It was constructed during the reign of Pachacuti, the Inca ruler who greatly expanded the empire. The site includes terraces, residences, ritual buildings, plazas, and carefully fitted stonework.

Historians still debate its precise purpose. It may have served as a royal estate, a ceremonial center, or a retreat connected with the ruling dynasty. Its location and design show the Incas' skill in mountain engineering, agriculture, water management, and earthquake-resistant construction.

Machu Picchu was not widely known internationally after the Spanish conquest, although local people knew of it. Yale historian Hiram Bingham brought it to broad scholarly attention in 1911. The site was never the Inca capital; that was Cusco, farther southeast. UNESCO designated the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu a World Heritage Site in 1983.